The invention relates generally to an apparatus and method for prompting receivers in a digital broadcast system to generate a response via a reverse channel on a second digital transmission system.
Satellite digital audio radio service (SDARS), a satellite broadcast service established by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC), has been proposed using satellite transmission of digital audio programs to radio receivers. The radio receivers can be stationary receivers (i.e., with a receiver antenna pointed for optimal line of sight (LOS) reception from a satellite) or mobile receivers (e.g., a receiver that is hand-carried by a user or is mounted in a vehicle).
A digital broadcast system such as an SDARS system is advantageous for its cost-effectiveness in providing the same content to a plurality of receivers. A receiver in a digital broadcast system, however, is somewhat limited in operation in that it cannot transmit signals. While a two-way communication system provides terminal-to-terminal communication (Le., each device has a receive and a transmit capability), it is not cost-effective to deliver the same content or message to these terminals via separate call connections. For example, an operator of a fleet of vehicles may wish to have each vehicle transmit its mileage to the fleet operator. While a broadcast message to request a response regarding mileage can be transmitted relatively inexpensively to each vehicle in the fleet via a broadcast system, receivers in the broadcast system have no means with which to respond with a message relating to current mileage on the vehicle. Further, it is preferable to not waste the revenue generating bandwidth of a secondary system such as a cellular telephone system with the same message request repeated over multiple call connections.
Accordingly, a need exists for receivers which can receive broadcast signals from a satellite and/or terrestrial-based digital broadcast system that provides SDARS, for example, but which also have a transmit capability. Accordingly, a need exists for a digital broadcast system receiver, which can operate in conjunction with a second communication system such as a cellular telecommunications system. For example, it would be advantageous to equip a vehicle with an SDARS receiver for one-way broadcast reception of audio programs, maps, weather and travel advisory information, among other content, and a mobile telephone for two-way communication.
In accordance with the present invention, the above-described advantages are realized by a receiver configured to receive broadcast signals from a digital broadcast system, and to transmit signals via a second communication system that provides the receiver with a reverse channel communication path.
In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, a broadcast station transmits a message to one or more selected receivers instructing the receivers to generate and transmit a response to another device or system via a communication system having a transmit capability.
In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention, a receiver comprises a system controller that is configured to convert a response to a broadcast message into a signal for transmission to a device having a transmit capability (e.g., a cellular telephone, a pager, a facsimile machine, and so on).
In accordance with still yet another aspect of the present invention, the system controller communicates with telematics-enabled devices such as devices with a transmit capability via an in-vehicle communication bus connected to a vehicle network hub.